2016年12月15日木曜日

日本のエディプス ⑤

Non-expression and cultural value

 As the above-mentioned Zeami’s thought, the issue of non-expression is also related to their sense of beauty and aesthetic value. Shuzo Kuki’s notion of “iki”. In his masterpiece, “The Structure of ‘Iki’”, he made an analysis of “iki”. Iki roughly means “chic”, an aesthetic concept current among the fashionable set in Edo era. He stresses that it is one of the essential values of Japanese culture. For the lack of English equivalent, Iki is described in numerous ways to describe; Iki is an expression of simplicity, sophistication, spontaneity, and originality. It is ephemeral, romantic, straightforward, measured, audacious, smart, and unselfconscious. Iki is not overly refined, pretentious, complicated, showy, slick, coquettish, or, generally, cute. At the same time, iki may exhibit any of those traits in a smart, direct, and unabashed manner.

 What seems to be essential in Iki is its beauty in indirect and ephemeral nature. What is overly showy and ostensible is “Yabo”, the antonym of Iki. One of the examples of the expression of “iki” is haura,literary meaning the lining of haori. When the Sumptuary law was issued repeatedly by Edo government in ancient Japan, people started to design an elegant and stylish pattern underside of jacket, which is usually worn in and never show outside.